Traveling sign



A. D. EITZEN TRAVELING SIGN Original Filed Aug. 23, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY af/ Z 7 March 10, 1936. A D, Em-EN 2,033,139

TRAVELING SIGN Original Filed Aug. 23, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. fluGUsTZZZ'PTZ/E BY/23 m ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAVELING SIGN Application August 23, 1932, Serial No. 630,024 Renewed May 29, 1935 9 Claims.

This invention relates to traveling signs by which is meant a display device of the type in which a moving legend is caused to appear in a given observation area, traversing the same so that the legend can be read from left to right in a conventional manner.

Such traveling signs comprise those in which an endless or elongated band or strip of material has the legend printed or otherwise formed upon its surface and is viewed directly in a framework having a suitable aperture through which the sign can be observed.

In another form of such signs, a number of electric lamps are grouped in the observation area in such a way that when they are energized selectively, letters are caused to appear successively with the illusion of traveling across the observation area.

In still another form of traveling sign, the legend is printed or otherwise formed in miniature upon a strip of material and a projector is used to produce upon a distant screen an enlarged luminous reproduction of the miniature legend upon the strip.

The last mentioned of these types has a wide field of usefulness in producing reproductions of stock quotation ticker strips and for similar purposes.

The second type of apparatus is used for sky signs on a large scale and for much smaller signs in window displays and for advertisements in such public places as railway stations.

This second type of sign as well as the third type has the advantage of permitting the use of a miniature tape to control the production in the observation area. of the sign proper, but each of these last two types involves more expensive equipment, aside from the legend bearing tape,

than does a sign of the first type.

In the first type of sign, the most considerable expense is the initial cost of the traveling band bearing the legend, which of course must be sufiiciently large to afford a legible advertisement area and in many cases must be large enough for observation from a considerable distance.

The present invention relates to this first type of traveling sign and has for its primary object the production of endless bands or extended strips of material desirably large and at the same time made of relatively inexpensive material, sufliciently durable to permit a satisfactory length of life for the sign under exacting conditions of repetitious use.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the fabrication of the sign by a. novel method which permits unusual expedition in the production of bands or strips bearing a variety of legends, either in standardized designs of type, or embodying symbols, outline pictures, or other (01. alt-82) forms of attraction elements, designed to catch and hold the attention of prospective purchasers of the merchandise advertised, or of other persons to whom a message is to be conveyed.

Among other objects of the present invention, it is aimed to provide such a traveling band or strip capable of being properly illuminated to cause the legend to stand out clearly, either by transmitting light or by reflecting light as may be desirable in any given installation. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a form of apparatus especially designed to hold in very compact space a traveling endless band or elongated strip of material sufliciently long to provide for the exhibition of a legend of sumcient length to afizord a satisfactory advertising display, or a succession of such advertisements; the improved apparatus herein disclosed also providing means for illumination of the traveling sign.

The invention aims also to provide a display apparatus having two or more obse ation areas at each of which the traveling ban appears so that the legend is displayed successively at each observation area.

The above and other features of the invention are'illustrated and described fully in the accompanying drawings and specification and are pointed out in the claims.

- In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of apparatus embodying the invention including a band or strip suitable to exhibit a traveling sign in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section, upon an enlarged scale, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section, upon a still larger scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, taken on the line 8-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental detailed view in perspective of part of a negative used in the production of traveling sign bands or strips according to the invention;

Fig. 6 is a similar view in perspective of part of a completed sign strip made according to the invention; and

Fig. '7 is a view in vertical section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

The drawings show by way of illustration, merely, suitable means for carrying into effect the novel method of fabricating a traveling sign which constitutes an important feature of this invention.

The first step of the process consists in applying to a strip l I (see Fig. 5) of suitable material, such as tracing linen, a series of symbols H, which may be independent letters of the alphabet or any other symbol suitable for the eventual production of a legend or similar sign display.

In the instance illustrated, the strip H is prefits back IS with an adhesive so that the symbols may be readily attached to the face of the strip II in suitable disposition to -form the desired legend, etc. v

This symbol-carryingstrip may be of any desired length, and the next step of the process comprises the temporary assembly of this strip with a secondary strip 14, which may, and preferably does, consist of a sensitized material, as for example, a sensitized canvas or linen, and when the secondary strip M has been assembled with'the symbol-carrying strip H, it is exposed'to light in the well known manner of making photographic negatives with the result that the legend composed of the symbols I2 is transferred from the symbol-carrying strip i I to the secondary strip [4.

The next step in the process is to remove and develop the secondary strip by means of any suitable developer conventionally utilized in commercial photography, with the result that after fixing the same, a permanent negative or positive is produced having a relatively opaque background -I 5 with transparent reproductions N5 of the individual symbols, the latter constituting a legend or like display through which light will pass, and that sign may be used either as a still sign, or as a traveling sign which may or may not be associated with a suitable source of light.

When the sign is to be used as a traveling sign, the margins of the secondary strip are preferably provided with bindings I1 of rubberized adhesive clot-h tape for the purpose of lending additional stability to the secondary strip, without interfering with its flexible character, and the ends of the strip will be suitably joined together in a manner which does not require particular illustration.

The flexible marginal bindings afford means for increasing the frictional driving effect in contact with the driving spools hereinafter described and also tend to keep the body portion of the belt away from the faces of said spools, the lap joints already referred to being preferably so made as not to increase unduly the thickness of the marginal portion of the joints, for which purpose the binding joints may be somewhat removed from the vicinity of the body joint, as indicated by the numerals l8 and I8a: in Fig. 6.

Such a joint is indicated at the margin l8 in Fig. 2, which figure shows an endless band mounted within a housing which constitutes an improved form of apparatus adapted to be used with such an endless traveling band for display purposes.

The housing, in the form illustrated,-comprises front and rear side walls l9 and 20 provided at 2| and 22 with body openings which constitute .the observation areas of the sign and may be suitably glazed.

In the instance illustrated, there is a front panel of glass 23 in each of these openings, the walls 24 of the' sides l9 and 20 being inclined inwardly to present an attractive frame for the sign.

There is also an inner panel of glass 25 between which and the forward panel 23; the band I4 is adapted to travel as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and'4, this inner panel being of ground glass or other light-diffusing structure.

The housing is also provided with end walls 26 and with a bottom wall 21, the latter serving to support a base 28 preferably taklng-the form of a sheet of metal mounted upon posts 29 extending upward from the base 21.

ings 35 may be provided to make an easy running support for the endless band I4, the latter being carried around two of these spools at one end of the housing as indicated at 38 in Fig. 2 from which spools the band extends between the glass panels 2| and 25 toward the other end of the housing, where it passes around similar spools 31, which in the instance illustrated, constitute the operating spools for the band. For this purpose, the spools 31 are provided with pulleys ll around which runs an endless belt 39 which is actuated by a motor 40, the shaft 41' of the motor having a pulley 42 around which an intermediate stretch 43 of the belt is passed one or more times. I

In order that the endless band 14 may have a desirable length for purpose of displaying a sufficiently long legend or advertising display, I prefer to make the band sumciently long to permit its extension backward as at 44 toward the left hand end of the housing where it passes around spools 45 and is carried thence toward the motor and around spools 46 and again in the opposite direction around a spool 41.

These stretches of the belt are preferably so disposed as to afford spaces within which may be mounted a source of light constituted in the instance illustrated by electric tubes or lamps 42, of which there may be any desired number, these lamps being arranged in the instance illustrated, closely adjacent to the inner light diffusion glass panel 25 at each face of the sign.

It is of course understood that other sources of illumination may be utilized and that where there is satisfactory light from outside of the sign, the inner sources of illumination may be dispensed with, inasmuch as the legend is preferably formed so that the symbols thereof contrast with the background of the traveling belt.

I preferto construct the housing in such a way that the upper portion of the housing comprising the side walls l9 and end walls 26 may be lifted up and away from the bottom wall 21, leaving the base plate 28 and spools, band, etc. in place thereon, thus affording easy access to the band and spools for the purpose of inspection, adjustments and replacements. I

If desired, the top or cover 49 may be removable from :the sidewalls so that access may be secured to the inside of the housing without disturbing the side walls.

It will be noticed that the symbol-carrying negative strip can be used in the fabrication of any desired number of duplicate traveling belts so that the individual expense of a belt is not large, nor is the symbol-carrying belt itself a source of large initial expense.

When the symbol-carrying negative belt is formed as above described, it may itself be uti-" lized if desired as a traveling sign and may be illuminated either by light shining across the opaque letters or other symbols, or may be used in connection with the apparatus herein disclosed having an interior source of light which will shine through the transparent background material of the symbol-carrying belt so that the legend will take the form of dark letters traveling over an illuminated background.

It is of course obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:'

1. A traveling sign comprising a housing having an opening in at least one of its vertical walls, a base plate forming a fixed part of said housing, a series of spindles provided with rotatable spools mounted to extend upwardly from said base plate, certain of said spools being fitted with driven pulleys, a motor in said housing, a driving belt connecting said motor to said driven pulleys, said rotatable spools having cylindrical shanks and end defining flanges, an endless fabric belt having photoprinted thereon translucent or transparent symbols constituting a. legend or like display, said symbols being defined by an opaque back round formed by exposure to light, marginal bindings composed of rubberized fabric secured to the edges of said belt to form additional stability to the belt and form an effective traction surface for said belt, the marginal bindings engaging the cylindrical shanks and thus spacing the body portion of the belt from such cylindrical shanks. two of said spools being mounted at opposite ends of the opening in said housing so that a stretch of said belt passes such opening. and a source of light within said housing adapted to illuminate the translucent or transparent symbol portions of said belt as they traverse said opening.

2. A traveling sign comprising a housing having an opening in at least one of its faces, spindles mounted in said housing at opposite ends of said opening, spools having cylindrical shanks rotatably mounted on said spindles, an endless fabric belt having translucent or trans arent symbol portionsforming a legend or like display, said symbol portions bein defined by an opaque Fairground. marginal bindin s composed of rubberized fabrlcsecured to the edges of said belt to form additional stability to the belt and engaging said cylindrical shanks and forming an effective traction surface when contacting with said shanks. and means for rotatably actuating said spools to cause said belt to pass across said opening.

3. A traveling sign comprising a housing having an opening in at least one of its faces, an inner light diffusing pane secured to said housing and extending across said opening, an outer transparent panel secured to said housing and extending across said opening and separated by a belt passage, spools mounted in said. housing, an endless fabric belt having photoprinted thereon translucent or transparent symbols constituting a legend or like display, said symbols being defined by an opaque background formed by exposure to light, said belt being rotatably mounted on said spools to pass through said belt passage, means for rotatably actuating said spools in turn to cause said belt to travel along the belt passage between said light difiusing pane and transparent panel, and a source of light within said housing to illunf nate said translucent or transparent symbol pcrtions as they traverse said opening.

4. A traveling sign comprising an inner light diffusing pane, an outer transparent panel extending parallel to said pane and spaced therefrom to form a belt passage therebetween, a fabric belt having photoprinted thereon transparent or translucent symbols constituting a legend or like display, said symbols being defined by an opaque background formed by exposure to light, rotatably mounted spools for advancing said belt through said belt passage, and a source of light in back of said inner light diffusing pane to illuminate said translucent or transparent symbol portions as they pass through said belt passage.

5. A traveling sign comprising a pluralityof spools rotatablyrmounted, each spool having a cylindrical shank, an endless fabric belt having a. legend or like display formed thereon, and marginal bindings composed of rubberized fabric secured to the edges of said belt to form additional stability to the belt and to form an cffective traction surface for said belt, the marfrom to form a belt passage therebetween, a fabric belt having a legend or likedisplay formed thereon, marginal-bindings secured to the edges of said belt to form additional stability to the belt and space the body portion of the belt from said passage forming pane and panel, and means for advancing said belt through said belt passage.

7. A traveling sign comprising a housing having openings in vertically extending walls; a base plate fixed in said housing, a plurality of spindles journaled in and extending upwardly from said base plate, spools rotatably mounted on said spindles and having cylindrical shanks. each opening having an inner light diffusing pane and an outer transparent panel extending parallel to one another and spaced from one another to form belt passages, a fabric belt having a legend or like display formed thereon and passing around said spools and through said belt passages, marginal bindings secured to the edges of said belt to form additional stability to the bility to the belt and to form an eifective traction surface for said belt, the marginal bindings engaging said spools and spacing the body tion of the belt from said spools.

9. A traveling sign comprising an inner light diffusing pane, an outer transparent panel extending parallel to said pane and spaced therefrom to form a. belt passage therebetween, a fabric' belt having adisplay formed thereon, mar- 'ginal bindings secured to the edges-of said belt to space the body portion of the belt from said passage forming pane and panel, and means for advancing said belt through said belt passage. AUGUST 1). EITZEN. 

